Middletown updates zoning codes, regulates rentals for college students

Middletown Borough Council approved an ordinance on Monday
night that changes the borough's zoning codes for the first time since 1968 and includes
first-time regulations for college-student rentals.

"The old zoning codes
were amended so many times over the years, it created contradictions. Aside
from modernizing our codes, our biggest goal is to protect the largest swatch
of our residential neighborhoods," Borough Manager Tim Konek said.

Until
now, there were no such regulations for properties rented to college students, giving license to unlimited numbers of students
sharing apartments or single-family homes in any part of town.

Student housing now is defined as a building
containing three or more apartments each containing up to four unrelated
persons attending an undergraduate or graduate program.

The ordinance also initiates a new zone
classification, R1-A, or medium-density residential. The borough will continue to have R1 low-density residential
and R2 high-density zones. An R3 zone is defined as planned development, such
as the Village of Pineford.

Student housing is allowed in R2 high-density and R3 planned development zones located
nearest to Penn State Harrisburg and the borough's
commercial corridors, borough spokeman Chris Courogen said.

Borough Council approved the ordinance with a 7-1 vote.
Suzanne Sullivan voted against the proposal. David Rhen was absent.

Sullivan said she rejected the proposal because "I would
like to have seen something much cleaner go out." She referenced comments made
earlier by resident Robert Hauser, who complained that the document contained
too many typographical errors.

Solicitor Charles Courtney said the errors could be
corrected through amendments and that it would take too much time to do
otherwise.

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